So, I've been attempting NK for the past four days with good results: lost two lbs already. I tend to be a notoriously slow loser. My question is: Every NK calculator on the web tells me that my protein is too low. I'm eating 70 grams, at 1600-1700 calories, which puts me right at 80% fat. I think that's a good place, but I'm worried that the calculators are right and I'll pay for it later.

Some other background: I'm zero carb, very little sweeteners (Truvia, about three packets a week) and no green veggies: I have been eating a whole lot of macadamia nuts recently, which hasn't stalled me. That's shocking: usually any plant food stalls me.

Just realized with the mac nuts I'm no longer zero carb.....bleep. Anyway, between 10 and 20 total carbs per day, leaning toward the low side.

Second question: Other than the Art and Science of Low carb Living, can you guys recommend any other good NK sources?

No answers for you Jackie123, but was wondering for my own curiosity - with you 0 carb (other than the macadamia nuts) - - what do you eat all day? Would you mind sharing your menu with me. It is a concept I am intrigued by - - not sure I can give up veggies, but I could a few days a week.

...any work by these 2 gentlemen has great food for thought.
For me personally, the loss of other nutrients/micronutrients/minerals would prevent me from taking a "LONG TERM-0-carb" approach to my food plan.

I'd love to eat veggies-they were, heretofore, my favorite foods. Unfortunately, I can't eat them and lose weight: even with two cups a day of spring mix, I imediately gain three pounds water weight and stall. I disagree about the nutrients: that's what organ meat is for . Plus, I take a multivitamin.

As far as what I eat each day, it's a little repetitive. Zero carb doesn't have to be, but it works for me.

Breakfast is two cups coffee with hwc

Lunch is 12 thin slices salami with two tbs butter and one boiled egg

Dinner is about 4 oz meat ( here's where variety comes in) with whatever spices I feel lice in a cream sauce made with 1oz cheese, one tbs butter, and one half cup hwc. Easy peasy. Oh, I usually put 1-2tbs bacon bits In it. Plus, recently, two oz Mac nuts in the afternoon.

If you google keto calculator, you can calculate your macros based on height, weight, age, and activity level. Your protein doesn't look bad, but I don't know your stats. If you get too much protein, you'll kick out of ketosis.

As for zero carb, and no veggies, just my two cents. Having dealt with nutrient deficiencies the last year, I won't go down that path again. May work in the short term but can hurt you as well.

If you google keto calculator, you can calculate your macros based on height, weight, age, and activity level. Your protein doesn't look bad, but I don't know your stats. If you get too much protein, you'll kick out of ketosis.

As for zero carb, and no veggies, just my two cents. Having dealt with nutrient deficiencies the last year, I won't go down that path again. May work in the short term but can hurt you as well.

Hope this helps!

While I am sure that nutrient deficiencies can and do occur, I have yet to read any reliable science that this occurs due to a,lack of carbohydrates. In fact, quite the opposite. Carbohydrates are the cause of nutrient deficiencies. There are no 'essential' carbohydrates and all veg and fruit is a carbohydrate with varying amounts of fiber.

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If you google keto calculator, you can calculate your macros based on height, weight, age, and activity level. Your protein doesn't look bad, but I don't know your stats. If you get too much protein, you'll kick out of ketosis.

As for zero carb, and no veggies, just my two cents. Having dealt with nutrient deficiencies the last year, I won't go down that path again. May work in the short term but can hurt you as well.

Hope this helps!

I personally don't think we need vegetables. We really do not absorb that much nutrition from them anyway. The fiber prevents it. People get most of their nutrition from fatty meats,fish, and eggs. Also a person can get quite a bit from cream and cream cheese. The only thing we would be lacking is vitamin C which we do not need much of because we do not eat a lot of carbs. I have been eating very low carb for almost a year with very few vegetables,(maybe twice a month) and no fruit. I am very healthy. I also feel great. I only eat vegetables because I like them, but they always keep me from losing. I still have at least 30 pounds to lose also. It is not like I am almost at my goal. I really don't think that if a person is careful in what they eat, that not eating vegetables will hurt them. The fiber might hurt them more, because the fiber causes inflammation in the colon by scraping it as it goes through. Fiber also prevents the body from absorbing proper nutrition.
Carolyn

I want to lose weight and be healthy - - not sure how I feel about the concept of not needing fruits and vegetables - - I have read a lot - - watched the videos - - still not sure where I fall into the thinking. I would love to be able to eat just meat/fat/eggs/cheese, etc., but I do like veggies and some fruits and ... well I like the carby things too.... I am giving those up. Maybe someday I will give more up.

Yes, the macadamia nuts do throw me off of zero carb-I realized that while writing the op

I've been laying off of them-I think it's a little too many carbs, especially at once. I don't lose very well unless I keep it less than 15.

Zero carb is a euphemism, in my understanding: a diet less than ten total grams a day, without most plant foods, is considered zero carb. I shoot for less than ten most days.

As an update: I decided to listen to the calculators, since I have been doing more resistance recently. I upped my protein to 80 and my cals to 1800 to keep my fat at 80%. I'm going to give it a try for two weeks. I'll keep you posted :-)

Oh, I forgot to say: I agree, you can get all the vitamins you need without veggies-traditionally, the Inuet ate all animal food for nearly the entire year and they were hale and hearty: until we introduced them to the western diet, that is. Also the Maasai eat mostly meat and blood and milk. Vitamin C is in liver in sufficient quantity. That's why I said, you just have to eat organ meat. And chicken liver pate is delicious.

I just realized how nuts are a sneaky way to increase carbs! Epiphany. I was thinking it was the higher fat that made me stall but maybe it's the hidden carbs in nuts! Yay... Now I can try going nut free for a week and see if I lose. Actually it is a sad moment cuz I love mac and almonds but not worth it right now I also think
They are triggers to other foods. Just my thoughts.

Yep, Peace, that is the problem with nuts. I love them too, but since portion control is such a challenge they are off my acceptable list. Some people can eat just a few, but I am not one of those people. They have fat, protein and carbs -- and the calories add up fast too. In some travel situations, I'll take a couple of small bags of almonds but that is an exception, not a rule. At some social gatherings, I'll take a small handful of nuts if that is the best option for nibbles, but again that is the exception not the rule. They don't get to come into my house!

Here's the secret to eating nuts: buy them in-the-shell! Then take out four "big" and four "small" nuts (I do two walnuts, two pecans, two almonds, and two hazelnuts), crack them one at a time and eat them SLOWLY. If I want a Brazil nut, I omit two walnuts or two pecans. Nuts-in-the-shell are too much of a pain to eat too many. This way, I get my nut fix and I retain my self-control.

I eat them every few days as an evening snack, and I enter them in my software so I make sure to count their carbs.

I cannot have containers of shell-less nuts in my house either. Once in a while my husband buys them and I ask him to hide them.

Oh, I forgot to say: I agree, you can get all the vitamins you need without veggies-traditionally, the Inuet ate all animal food for nearly the entire year and they were hale and hearty: until we introduced them to the western diet, that is. Also the Maasai eat mostly meat and blood and milk. Vitamin C is in liver in sufficient quantity. That's why I said, you just have to eat organ meat. And chicken liver pate is delicious.

I for one won't be eating organ meats. I do not like them at all. When I was a kid, my dad loved that stuff. I could not eat it. Maybe that is why my Dad is now 93.
Carolyn

Thank heavens! Some people get it. I am new here.. but having been doing low carb for 10 years. Still fluctuate on weight, but nuts are just not my best friend.

I need to find out how to cut back on protein... another thread here

Thanks for the reply, really appreciate it.

Nuts can be a problem for me also, but not because they do not have shells. They really just have too many carbs for me. I do eat a few occasionally, but the scale always tells me that I should not have ate them.
Carolyn

Nuts can be a problem for me also, but not because they do not have shells. They really just have too many carbs for me. I do eat a few occasionally, but the scale always tells me that I should not have ate them.
Carolyn

I'm so with you: I can get away with them for one day, but if I rinse and repeat the scale goes up.

When I eat high carb,and don't eat veggies,I immediately get sores in my mouth,which in some traditional medicines,is considered vitamin deficiency.

But when I eat LCHF,I can go months without veggies and no problems at all.
I love a good salad and I love cream of -- soups,I love veggies fried,but can't have them as I gain weight.and drives my cravings.

I try to eat chicken liver ,and I am trying to like organ meats.

As for OPs question about protein,the keto calculator protein range is high for me,and I stay lower and have no problems.My only problem is trying to stay on the wagon after holidays.There seems to be too many birthdays around and even when I am careful,I keep going above my protein range and stall or gain.

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I just re-read this thread and it reminded me of what my issue MIGHT be right now. TOO many veggies in general.Ahhh.. salads are lovely but maybe 2 a day is overdoing it plus eating veggies as a snack. I need to work on this and remember fat and meats are GOOD

Tomorrow is a new day and new beginning. Done with nuts, and I really want to start counting all carbs... I tend to think my low carb veggies are "ok".... not so much when I am on here complaining to everyone about my weight.

Veggies are likely not as big a problem as nuts, but they do add up.
I get mine from leafy greens and cabbage family (broc, cauli, brussels sprouts, etc), summer squashes, and green beans mostly. I avoid peas, carrots, onions (except in very small amounts for flavor), winter squashes, and generally the root veggies. I also avoid tomatoes, which are really not a veggie, although I'll treat myself in the summer when they are off the vine and peak flavor. When I get to maintenance, I will be a bit more generous concerning some of these veggies. Next winter, I'd like to be able to add in some of the above for some winter soups that I adore featuring winter squashes, pumpkin, or sweet potato, peas (as in split pea, with a sprinkling of colorful carrots), and tomato in my soup bases. That's many months off, though.